I left New Zealand mid-2003, bound for Istanbul and a new lif. After two years, a Belgian guy lured me into his world, deep in the heart of Europe. For a long time I was an in-process immigrant. One day we married. These days it's about photography, a little red wine and wandering ... and so the journey goes.

Monday, January 16, 2006

Day One ...

Well, I was on the tram going to Nederlands class by 8am ... just like a real person travelling to work, an idea given credence by the fact that most of Antwerpen's workforce seemed to be on my tram. But I had my seat and my book, and pretended I didn't mind the little woman leaning on me and later, when she sneezed on my head, I read on, seemingly unperturbed. The reality was that no one could move, not even me, and her hands were probably trapped by her side, but still when I got off the tram one stop too early it seemed like I was walking into a really bad day.

Netherlands 1.2 is more difficult that 1.1 ... although it seemed a little less difficult, in that I recognised enough words to follow instructions but my goodness ... first, second and third person in Dutch!

1. ........ je soms te laat op school?So I filled in the blank with a Ben, and matched it to number 13. Nee, ik ben nooit te laat.

There were more than 30 questions and I got some of them wrong ... sigh.

The class make-up is another interesting international mix ... there were people from Iran, Turkey, Morocco, the Congo, Bhutan, Tibet, Russia, Romania, Serbia-Monte Negro, Poland, and Spain ... maybe some more, but there are 33 in the class and I didn't quite catch the complete roll call. Possibly due to mortification, as the teacher gave an impromptu lecture on where New Zealand was ... so much for low profile.

Anyway, I have the new exercise book and the examination is in 7 weeks.

Then we arrive in Di's evening ... running class.

Gert's ex-wife is actually the friend who asked me to join running classes with her. I met her at the track ... oh yes, an athletics track no less ... rugged up for zero degrees, full of doubts.

We're a small group and the coach is an angel. I really wasn't sure about being there but he got us all through it ... 3 times one minute of jogging, with one minute of walking in between each. Then 3 times 2 minutes of running, with 2 minutes of walking between, and then yes ... I know you're all riveted ... 3 times 3 minutes of running, with 3 minutes of walking in between.

And then it was over but for the stretching, and that was where I hurt my ankle, actually. I was very brave and told no one.